Just when we were getting sick and tired of hearing about all the nonsense going on in North Miami Beach, the you-know-what hits the fan in North Miami.
Again.
You just knew it would just be a matter of time before something newsworthy came out of our sister city to the south. It was worth the wait!
As I reported on June 13, 2012 in Oh, Marie!, North Miami Councilwoman Marie Steril has found herself in a bit of a jam for not disclosing that she helped her mother, Marie Charles-Brutus, qualify to purchase a city-owned home under a program run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. As reported by the Miami Herald in an article, North Miami council member’s friend got free rent in city-owned home, Ms. Charles-Brutus “qualified for and purchase an NSP [Neighborhood Stabilization Program] home in 2011. However, Steril never disclosed their relationship. According to HUD rules, elected officials must disclose any family ties to individuals who will benefit from the city-run program and obtain an opinion from the city attorney.”
Who needs those annoying HUD rules anyway? Certainly not Marie!
The Miami Herald just reported today in North Miami to repay federal money, that the city is now in debt to HUD to the tune of $154,000.00 because of this screw up. Not surprisingly, the city’s director of Community and Planning Development, Maxine Calloway, denies any responsibility despite the fact that she “oversees the housing program.” She apparently didn’t notice the fact that Ms. Charles-Brutus listed as her only creditor one Nego Steril, who just happened to have the same last name as the councilwoman – a little inconsequential detail that somehow slipped through the cracks when she reviewed the purchase documents. Nothing to see here, folks. Move right along.
On top of the $154K bill just handed to the taxpayers of North Miami, there’s also that pesky little business about Ms. Steril’s good friend and church buddy, Martine Saint-Aime, who managed to live in one of the city’s houses for six months at a rental of ZERO DOLLARS. HUD didn’t seem to be too interested in this tidbit, so we’ll just write that off as the cost of doing business, i.e., paying taxes, in North Miami.
A more in-depth account of this newest North Miami scandal was published by Tim Elfrink of the Miami New Times in his article today, North Miami Fined $154,000 After Councilwoman’s Mom Gets Grant Money. According to the reporter, it was Councilman Scott Galvin who “tipped off HUD to the violation back in February, and that the money to pay back HUD would be coming out of the city’s General Fund.”
Let’s just call this an early Christmas present to the good Councilwoman from her adoring fans who pay her salary.
Councilman Galvin, however, is not happy to foot the bill. He is rightfully calling for the resigation of Maxine Calloway, claiming that this screw up “demonstrates complete lack of understanding of HUD policies she is tasked with enforcing.”
He’s being way too kind. I’d say it demonstrates a complete lack of competency.
In addition to firing the director of Community Planning and Development, I’d also demand that the $154,000.00 be paid solely by Councilwoman Marie Steril for her complicity in this scam. Furthermore, she should be charged with something of the criminal nature, like attempting to defraud not only the City of North Miami, but also the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Surely there must be some federal law she violated by her devious actions. If there aren’t, there should be!
When it comes to unethical and flat out corrupt politicians in South Florida, North Miami really takes the cake.
When it comes to screwing the taxpayers, Marie “Antoinette” Steril might as well be saying, “Let them eat it.”
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
North Miami has become the toilet of South Florida. Andre Pierre, Marie Steril, the entire lot of them are taking the taxpayers for one royal ride. N Miami is nothing more than their own money laundering system to funnel money to Haiti. Taxpayer money. The bogus Red Cross earthquake drive that scored over 200k never turned over to the Red Cross, garbage trucks donated to Haiti, city officials taking trips on the taxpayer dime for vacations disguised as work, voter fraud, fake badges, dirty construction deals, back door dealings, fake travel reimbursements, Meganaval carnival,money going to radio stations under false pretenses, lying to the Haitian residents in Creole on the Haitian stations telling them the “white people” are going to raise their water bill as a way to get them to back Pierre.
Where does it end? North Miami’s residents need to open their eyes.They are the mayor’s cash cow. The city manager is his puppet and they are filling al city jobs with their family memebrs and friends in order to help the corruption live one.
Stephanie,
Did you go to the meeting at the temple on Wed. night in Sans Succi, about the issues facing North Miami residents, especially those on the east side who want to secede from the city?
No, I did not. I had a previous engagement. I heard a bit about it, though.